Death... and me
chapter-3111

It wasn't the first time the twins asked Karev that. It's just that Karev said it was none of their business back then. He simply had some problems that required him to escape the planet, and that was all he mentioned.

Karev narrowed his eyes, thinking if he should mention the reason or not. However, considering the situation, and especially since he has now become a wanted person, Karev couldn't give the twins a reason to leave him behind. He believed more than ever that the twins definitely had a way to escape this place after everything Roan taught him in the past few days.

"Okay, this is something related to the next Millennial Werldem Divine Stone Contest," Karev started.

"The one a few hundred years from now?" Roan asked back.

"Yes. Do you know where the Divine Werdlem Stones come from?" Karev started with a question. Rean and Roan obviously shook their heads. They could say it came from the Divine Realm, but they weren't certain, so they let Karev continue his explanation. "They are not from the Divine Realm if that's what you are thinking."

This time, the twins were slightly surprised. "Not from the Divine Realm? Where then?" "I'm not saying they can't be created there, mind you," Karev added. "I'm just saying that most planets in the Mortal Realm don't need to ask the Divine Realm for these Stones. Instead, they can be made out of the World Essence of the planets."

"Let me guess," Roan could see where it was going. "The only ones who know how to gather and produce the Divine Werdlem Stone is the Inquisition Hall of the Werdlem Empire on this planet. It's just that they are tightly linked to the Werdlem Empire itself, so it is impossible for them to betray the empire."

"Smart," Karev didn't deny that. "I believe it is much easier to make those Divine Werdlem Stones in the Divine Realm, but it matters not now. What matters is that only one of such stones is made every thousand years on our planet. If other planets make more of them or not, I don't know. Well... it was supposed to be the case, at least."

Karev sighed and looked to the skies. "Due to certain... circumstances, my brother became a member of the Inquisition Hall. My brother and I are extremely close to each other, just so that you know, and his name was Marev. I don't know how it works, but once you join the Inquisition Hall of the Werdlem Empire, you become completely loyal to the Hall and the Werdlem Empire even if you don't want to. Sometimes, I wonder if they are using some kind of Soul Binding Contract similar to the Second Stratum one. It's just that the Inquisitors don't look like mindless slaves in that case."

Karev put those thoughts behind him and shook his head. "Anyway, around two hundred years ago, my brother paid me a visit during one of his official tasks for the Inquisition Hall. At that moment, he seemed normal. We talked, we laughed; he truly looked just like my brother. Yet, something deep within that moment bothered me. He was there. That was definitely him... but at the same time, he wasn't."

Karev sighed. "At first, I just thought I was just imagining things. I knew there was this absolute loyalty part, but his 'will' seemed intact. However, during the next few days, he worked on his task in Rusbav, and that feeling increased. Finally, on his final day before leaving for the Inquisition Hall, I called him one last time for us to have a conversation."

Roan didn't seem very interested in those family issues, but Rean and Sister Orb definitely listened attentively while Karev spoke. "There, I confronted him, asking if he was truly my brother. Marev didn't react at first, just saying I sounded ridiculous. But the more I pressed, the stranger he became. At some point, it became so ridiculous that it was as if there were two Marev fighting each other inside his body."

"Then, for a moment, Marev snapped out of his trance and looked at me as his real self," Karev remembered those moments. "I still remember his words. Only you, my brother, could really wake me up, even if just for a short moment. Karev, I don't have time. You need to leave this planet before the next Millennial Divine Werdlem Stone Contest. I will help you."

"I know where the next Divine Werdlem Stone is being generated, and you should be able to easily acquire it. Not only one, but you will find five of them in there. Take them all and leave; don't look back. Just make sure you have an escape plan from this planet before you do so. Even if you don't want to take the stones, you must leave."

The twins were obviously impressed. "Five Divine Werdlem Stones!"

Karev nodded. "I also felt skeptical, but I trusted my brother, and at that moment, it was truly him. He gave me a jade slip with all the information necessary to go and take the Divine Werdlem Stones without alerting the Inquisition Hall. However, it would only be temporary. According to the information, I would only be able to hide the steal for a few hours, and then the Inquisition Hall would come after me."

"What about your brother?" Rean asked, ignoring the Stones.

Karev sighed in response. "He only had the chance to give me that information before his mind returned to normal. My 'brother' was once again the Inquisition Hall's puppet, but the puppet didn't seem to remember what my real brother's conscience spoke about."

"You are not planning to abandon your brother, right?" Rean narrowed his eyes.

"If he was alive, I obviously wouldn't," Karev's expression showed a hint of sadness. "Unfortunately, I received the information that Marev died a few weeks later during one of his missions for the Inquisition Hall. Don't ask me how. The information was never revealed. No one came after me after that either, showing that my 'puppet' brother truly had no idea about what my real brother spoke to me."

Roan finally spoke after that. "Okay, so you need to escape as soon as you get the Stones. That makes sense. Just one question. Your brother seemed more concerned about you leaving the planet than stealing the Divine Werdlem Stones. Is something about to happen to this planet?"

Karev looked back at Roan. "So I'm not crazy, uh? You also felt the same."